Skip to main content

Writing an introduction (Academic IELTS Task 2)

Writing an essay is a challenge for both experienced and inexperienced writers. One reason is paragraphing. Most test takers know the basics of the task and they know what to expect. What they usually don't know how to figure out is how to start the essay.

In my experience, I have often recommended my students to understand the different words and/phrases often used in the test. Furthermore, I ask them to broaden their knowledge on myriads of topics by reading a lot, watching news, and even by discussing them with other people. Well, that's just the "input" process. 

Next, they are tasked to write down their ideas on the topic within a time limit to help them develop their critical thinking and decision-making skills. The catch is to ask them to write as honestly as possible and to stick with what they already now. That is easier said than done because most of my students concentrate too much on making an "impact". That is, they want to write something that is unique and remarkable. Of course, there's nothing bad about showing off and writing down intelligent content but remember, if you're time pressured, content is not as important as it sounds because... examiners check the PROPER USE of the ENGLISH language and not how great your ideas are. 

Enough about that, let's talk about writing.

Basically, you need to pick out the key words used in the topic. After this, brainstorm for possible synonyms or phrases that you can use for these keywords. The next step is to rewrite the topic. You somehow need to be grammar-savvy for this. Try your best to work your way around the list of synonyms you have listed when rewriting the topic. DO NOT replace some words in the topic just for the sake of ''paraphrasing". Be imaginative but don't include things are not necessary. This part can be very time-consuming but it is rewarding once you get the hang of it.

Lastly, include either one of these things:
1. an explanation of what you want to write about (This essay will discuss the...)
2. your reaction to the topic/question (It is clear that...)
3. the summary of the question by asking another question (How can we know for sure the...?)

To conclude, the first paragraph of your essay should follow this pattern: 

The paraphrased topic/question + One of the three things above. 

The following paragraphs will highly depend on whatever your content would be. Just remember that your sentences must be coherent and cohesive. 


Practise with these topics:
1. 
The continued rise in the world's population is the greatest problem faced by humanity at the present time. 
What are the causes of this continued rise?
Do you agree that it is the greatest problem faced by humanity?


2. 
In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country.
Nowadays, they have more opportunity abroad.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cambridge 11 Test 3 Writing Task 1

Sample: The data from the line graph illustrates the carbon dioxide emissions of an average individual per metric tonnes in four European countries every decade from 1967-2007.A closer look at the data highlights the fact that among the 4 nations, the UK has the highest rate in carbon dioxide emissions per person in 40 years. In 1967, there was approximately 11 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide released by an average Englishman which was about ten times higher than the emissions made by an individual from Portugal. However, it can be seen that as time went by, the carbon dioxide emitted by Englishmen decreased gradually to over 8 metric tonnes in 2007. On the other hand, a different trend can be noted in the countries Italy and Portugal where the emissions slowly rose from an initial rate of approximately 4 and 1 metric ton to about 7 and 6 metric tonnes in 4 decades. In Sweden, emissions increased to its record highest in 1977 w
1 comment
Read more

Cambridge 15: Academic IELTS Writing Test 2: Task 1 (Line graph)

Sample report:   The line graph depicts the yearly proportion of visitors to a certain island in The Caribbean from 2010 to 2017. In general, the number of guests multiplied in seven years.   In 2010, there were a million travelers who went to the island. This total rose consistently over the years until 2015 and 2016 where it stayed at less than 3 million. However, in the last year, 2017, the number shot up to 3.5 million people.   From the graph, there were more vacationers staying on the island during most of the years. In the first two years, there were fewer than a million guests on the island before slowly increasing to one and a half million in 2013. This rate continued for two more years before declining to 1.3 million then back to its previous sum.   For tourist who vacationed on cruise ships, the line showed a fluctuating trend in the first four years from 0.3 million to 0.5 million people. From 2013, the number gradually grew until it exceeded the number of g
1 comment
Read more

Cambridge 15: Academic IELTS Writing Test 4: Task 1 (Pie Chart and Table)

The pie chart illustrates the percentage of what Anthropology graduates from one university did after their graduation. The table reveals the earned income they make after 5 years’ work according to three kinds of employment. Overall, in the first graph, most of the graduates worked fulltime after finishing university while the table shows that those who rendered work for 5 years earn a different range in payment in various work sectors.   According to the pie chart, among the six destinations provided, a little over half of the alumni went straight on to working fulltime. Part-time workers garnered the second place with 15%. Surprisingly, the rate of unemployed graduates came in third with 12%. Two sections, full-time postgrad study, and unknown, have the same 8% result while only 5% of the responders said that they work part-time while studying postgrad.   As for salaries, ten and 35 percent of private employees earn from 25 thousand to almost 75 thousand dollars. In contrast, le
8 comments
Read more